Metal working machine



Dec. 3, 1940. LOI'T lMETAL WORKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 12. 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @Il lll'L mm, l

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c. l. LoTr METAL WORKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 12, 1938 2 Sheets-"Sheet 2 maentor @Mura/Ee): Lolsb Gttomegs 'Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y 2 Claims.

This invention relates to metal working machines and particularly to machines for forming bearing rollersor similar members from bar stock. More particularly, the invention is .con-

5 cerned with mechanism capable of usev in grinding, drilling, polishing or cutting olli' bar stock smoothly and evenly to reduce grinding and machining operations to a minimum.

In cutting off sections of bar stock, a process l to which the machine is especially applicable, the most usual practice has been to feed the bar .stock step by step andr to sever it by bringing `non-rotating cutters into contact with rotating work,I Such a method frequently results in cuts l which are uneven or jagged with portions of burr left on the sections, particularly at the point where the cut ends. Such uneven cutting resulting from rupture of the metal bers either at the center or at the periphery of'the Work increases the grinding or machining operations necessary to nish the work and otherwise increases the cost of production.

According to the present invention, it is proposed to rotate both the work and the cutter, so that the cut is made radially into the work and increases in depth gradually throughout the work circumference, thereby leaving the slight resulting burrof negligible amount at the center of the section which is cut off. It is also propoised to provide individual driving motors for each of the cutters and to mount both the motors and the cutters on a rotatable drum or housing which canbe moved with reference to the rotating work.

The principles above set forth may be carried out most expeditiously and satisfactorily by the.

use of a machine combining the structure and operations of an automatic screw machine and a multiple spindle lathe. A plurality of spindles are provided to rotate and feed the work into operative relation with the rotating cutters, and the whole set-up is designed and correlated to speed up production to a maximum degree.

The main object of the invention is, therefore, to increase the rate of production of articles which are to be cut from bar stock and to reduce machining and grinding operations by employing a mechanism in which both the cutters and the work are rotated. Furthermore, the object is to mount the driving motors on a rotatable carrier in such a way that the motors are direct-connected'to the cutters and the use of gearing or belting is avoided entirely.

A further object is to produce a machine in which cuttingoperations may be performed si- Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of one form oi metal Working machine embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig.' `3 is a detail sectional .view of one form of work spindle suitable for useA in machines of .the type to which the present invention relates.

In the drawings, the reference character 6 designates the base of the machine, preferably hollow and formed to house the driving mechanism for the spindles and for the tools. This base, as shown, carries substantially midway between its ends a head-stock housing 1, Within which are mounted a plurality of spindles 8- of the type ordinarily employed in conventional automatic screw machines. g

Upstanding from the rear of the machine is an extension 9 which cooperates with an adjustable forward extension II, to carry two parallel supporting or guide bars I2 and I3 4extending throughout the length of the machine and adapted to guide certain of the operating parts.

Located within the head-stock housing I is a suitably journaled shaft I4 carrying a` central driving gear I5 which meshes with a plurality of pinions I6, one associated with each of the spindles 8 and held in the housing I by nuts I1. The gear I5 may be driven in any suitable manner, but as here shown the drive comprises a `motor I8 mounted within the base 6 and connected in driving relation with the shaft I4 by a sprocket chain Y 2l cooperating with sprocket wheels I9 and 22 carried von the motor and the shaft I4, respectively. When the gear I5 is driven, the spindles 8 are all driven at high speed, as a result of the multiplying action of gear I5 and the associated pinions, and rotate in their bearings 24. y

'I'he spindles 8 carried in the head-stock 'I are for the most part of standard construction, including the usual eolien-feed tube, feedrnger, and locking spool with associated mechanism for operating 'the collet. In addition, however, there is provided a spring cushioning means so that when the stock is fed forward against a stop, the jarring incident to such feeding action is absorbed by a coil spring. Inasmuch as all of the spindles 8 are of similar construction, a detailed description of one will be suiiclent for aY comi plete understanding of the invention.

Fig. 3 of the drawings shows in detail the construction of one of these spindles, and, when this view is studied in connection with Fig'. 1,l the showing is complete. tubular member- 23 mounted within the head 1 and rotatable in bearings 24, oneat either end of the head. The pinion I6 is keyed to this tube, and the tube, as well as the gear, is held in position by the lock nut I1. This arrangement prevents the tube 23 from being moved axially in either direction with respect to this head, except for the limited play permitted by the roller bearings.

Mounted within the tube 23 and carrying at its forward end the usual collet 25, is a tube 26. This tube has secured to it at its rear end. a stop plate 21 which may operate the collet 25 to bring it into locking engagement with the stock 28 when the plate 21 is moved rearwardly. 'Ihe locking of the jaws of the collet is brought about by inclined cam surfaces 29 on the inside of tube 23, las shown. Actuation of the tube 26 is accomplished through a mechanism including a locking spool 3| which is slidable on the tube 23 into or out of engagement with pivoted locking fingers 32 carried in a support 33 rigidly attached to the tube 23. Each of the locking spools 3| is grooved at 34 for engagement with the bead of an actuating spider 35 and has an inclined cam surface 36 at one end for cooperation with the fingers 32.

From the above it will be clear that, when a locking spool 3| is moved into engagement with the locking fingers 32, the fingers will be pivoted about their supports and will move the plate 21 to the left, thereby closing the jaws of collet 25 upon the stock 28. When the locking spool is moved to theA right out of engagement with the fingers 32, vthese fingers are released andi the plate 21, together with tube 23, moved to the right through the resilience of the collet jaws carrying the collet faces along the inclined surfaces 29 to releasethe stock.

The .structure so far described is of more or less standard construction. Likewise, the feed tube 31 having a feed nger 38 secured to its forward end is of standard construction. .As shown, this' tube 31 passes through a housing 39 carried in the disc 4I with respect to which it is rotatable. Surrounding the tube 31 inside of housing 39 is a coiled cushion spring 42 which reacts against a collar 43 keyed to the tube 31 just inside of the forward end of housing 39. Consequently when the tube 31 is moved to the left, the collar 43 presses against the spring 42 and compresses it. Motion of the tube 31 to the right is limited by engagement of collar 43 and the right hand end of housing 39. Should the stock 28 be fed too far, the reaction exerted on tube 31 carrying the feed finger 38, will cause a compression of spring 42, thereby reducing the shock on the mechanism and tending to avoid any distortion of the stock by bringing it into too violent engagement with its stop.

While the stock feeding and clamping mechanism may be actuated in any conventional manner, the means for producing such feeding and clamping is shown herein as two hydraulic cylinders 44 and 45. The cylinder 44 actuates the spider 35 in order to move the locking spools 3| Each spindle comprises a' to release or clamp the stock. The cylinder 45 operates to feed the disc 4| forward or backward in order to feed stock through the collet when such collet is released through the spider 35 and its actuating cylinder 44.

As shown in the drawings (Fig. 1), the parts occupy the position which they would have with the stock fed forward against the stops and in position for the cutting tools to operate. When the cutting tools have operated and it is time for stock to be fed forwardly again, the hydraulic cylinder 44 is supplied with pressure so as to move the spider 35 to the right in Fig. 1, thereby moving the locking spools 3| forwardly and permitting all of the collets 25 to release the stock therein. The cylinder 45 is then supplied with pressure to move the disc 4I to the right into the position shown to thereby move the feed tubes 31, together rwith the stock yheld by the feed fingers, through the collets and against the stops. When the stock strikes the stops, as shown in Fig. 1 the collets 4are again closed before the cutting tools operate. During this feeding action,

the cushioning springs 42 will operate to prevent damage to the mechanism or the stock, during the feeding operation, or immediately subsequent thereto.

The forward end 46 of the head-stock is apertured to receive a stub shaft 41 for mounting the drum 46. This drum is keyed to the stub shaft 41 and comprises a member polygonal in cross section, closed at the inner end and having in its periphery -a plurality of longitudinal slots or grooves 49, in which the tool driving motors and the tools are mounted. This drum has flat faces on its periphery and a Ihollow central stud 5I upstanding therein and cooperating with the stub shaft 41 and cap 65.

The tool drum 46 may be subjected to slight rotatable movement in order to bring the tools or cutters carried thereby, into operative relation with the work carried by the spindles. For the purpose of actuating this drum, the stub shaft 41 carries an arm 52 having a gear sector at its free end meshing with a. pinion 53 which, in,

turn, is driven by rack 54 adapted to be actuated by an hydraulic cylinder 55 mounted on the base of the machine as best illustrated in Fig. 2.

Adjustably mounted on the bars |2 and I3 is a stop carrying plate or member 56 having a plurality of stops 51 carried therein, and arranged for cooperation with the several work holding spindles. The stops 51 are so located that they do not interfere with the rotational movement of the cutter units carried by the tool drum 48. The stop carrying member 56 may be removed from the machine if bracket is taken off, and various arrangements of stops may be substituted if desired. The stops may also be removed individually without disturbing the location of member 56.

The grooves 49 in the periphery of the drum are of inverted T-shape in cross section, to receive T-shaped extensions carried by the bases 6| of the motors 62. Cooperating With the grooves and T-shaped extensions are locking means'such as set screws 63 provided to hold the various cutting or grinding units in fixed position on the tool drum. Mounted on the shaft o f each of the motors 62 is a tool 64, here shown as consisting of a cutting disc preferably madeup of a fine cutting abrasive set in a rubber mounting. Cutting wheels of this type are very eflicient in operation and result in a smoothly cut surface on the work, since .it is possible by the use of this mounting to employ smaller sized abrasive grains ated with the motor 62 for the purpose of severing the bar stock fed from the spindles, the invention is not limited to the use of such cutting wheels ordiscs, it being readily possible to use other abrasive means for operating on the work and to employ any other lform of rotating tool which may be direct-connected to the motors. These tools may, for example, take the form of drills, saws, or polishing wheels, and no limitations, other than those distinctly stated, are to be implied.

The operation of the tools on the tool drum will be understood readily from the description which has already been given, and it will be clear that when discs of the type described are usedy for severing the bars of stock,the tool drum I8 need only be displaced through a distance equal to one-half of the thickness of theustock to be severed, since both the work and the severing toolsl are rotating. Inasmuch as the amount of displacement of the tool drum is slight, it is possible to locate the actuating rack 54 between two neighboring work spindles without in any way interfering with the feeding movement of the tool drum or the parts carried thereby. It will be clear that while the head-stock 1 is shown with a plurality of work feeding spindles, each spindle having a tool unitoperatively associated with it, one only of these units may be employed at a time or any number greater than one including the total number carried by the head-stock and the tool-drum. Inasmuch as a considerable number of bars of stock may be fed forward simultaneously and also severed, or otherwise worked upon simultaneously, the rate of production of articles such as bearingrrollers is very high and proceeds without bars of stock areI fed through the work spindles. While the drawing illustrates all of the tool units as being of the same character, it is obvious that different types of tool may be disposed at difierent stages and all of them may operate simultaneously on different bars of stock, so long as the feeding movements are compatible with one another. .a

interruption so long as fresh i Although only one form of metal working machine has been disclosed herein, it is obvious that this disclosure is merely by way of illustration, as

numerous changes and modifications may Y, bev

made in the details within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

. 1. A metal working machine comprising a bed having head-stock thereon; a plurality of work supporting spindles mounted in said head-stock; means for rotating said spindles and the bar stock carried thereby; means for feeding the bar stock through said spindles; a cutter supporting drum mounted for rotational movement with respect to said head-stock, and substantially concentric With said head-stock; a plurality of motor -units adjustably mounted on said head-stock and each having a rotating cutter carried on its shaft; and means for subjecting said drum to limited rotational -movement to bring said rotating cutters into cutting relation with the rotating bars of stock projecting from said spindles.

2. In a metal working machine of thev type comprising a head-stock having a plurality of rotatable work supporting spindles through which stock is fed intermittently; a cutting tool carrier rotatably mountedV in coaxial relation with saidhead-stock, said carrier comprising a drum-like member of polygonal cross section having :dat faces on its periphery; a motor base on each said faces and axially adjustable thereon; a plurality of rotatable cutting discs each comprising a body of rubber having abrasive grains embedded therein and characterized by its ability to cut metal without the formation of burr, one yof said discs being mounted on the shaft of each motor and arranged to cooperate with work pieces carried by said spindles; said spindles; means for subjecting said drum to limited rotational movement to bring all 'the cutting discs into or out of engagement with their cooperating work pieces at one time; and means permitting removal of said drum and the parts carried thereby as a unit.

` I CHARLES I. LOTT.

common meansvfor driving all of 

